Fina stops transgender swimmers from competing in women's elite events

As the mother of a daughter who swims competitively (not elite!), this is welcome news.

I suspect they don't count as elite events QuebecBagnet BUT swimmers progress through these competitions to the elite events. So any college or club giving places to the Lia's of the world will be wasting a place, resources and presumably their reputation as they will never be able to reach the pinnacle of a place in women's elite swimming - and it's the reputation for nurturing medal winners that a college relies on.

such a no-brainer for swimming. if you look at the heights, the hand and foot sizes etc of almost any competitive swimmer, of either sex, it's abundantly clear that physical size confers a huge advantage.

it might be possible to halfway plausibly argue that inclusion should win the day in a sport where short, physically slight, competitors are common. not not here.

Is Lia finished? Do college events count as “elite” events.

Fantastic news!
It's also still fully inclusive as it has an open category.

Yes Vest it's very welcome, overdue and bloody obvious.

Completely agree VestofAbsurdity . It's uncompromising - scientifically, legally and ethically.
It feels momentous as sport has been so captured by the anti women ideologues that it seemed as if women's events would be dismantled within the year.Hopefully this will encourage other sporting bodies (who will know what they're doing is wrong) to recover their ethics and protect women's sport.

I’m delighted and so proud that the sport I partake in has lead the way

I do so hope that this is the beginning of a real change and a welcome arrival of common sense

Best news I've heard in a long time. As an ex swimmer, really pleased its swimming that is leading the way in common sense.

All athletes must certify their chromosomal sex with their Member
Federation in order to be eligible for FINA competitions. Failure to do so, or
provision of a false certification, will render the athlete ineligible

All the requirements for eligibility are hard core, the tantrums that will be thrown about them will be epic.

This is absolutely the correct decision for women’s sport. Well done to FINA, now it’s over to cycling, athletics, rowing etc etc.

There is only one workable, inclusive solution to these issues which both preserves the integrity of women’s sport and offers everyone the opportunity to compete. A ‘Women’ category in sport, in which only biological females are allowed to participate and an ‘Open’ category for everyone else.

About bloody time.

One would like to think so. However....the tin foil hat gang wont like this because not only do they think they are women, no one else is allowed to think otherwise either-cue a load more toy throwing.....

Oh I agree with you wholeheartedly Past but this is a step out of the ridiculous nonsense that has been embedded to date, it absolutely should never have come to this.

Decisive voting to keep the women’s category for females.

The policy is really carefully written focussing on inclusion but sticking to the principle of women's sport for women and defining categories without reference to gender woowoo.

All athletes must certify their chromosomal sex with their Member
Federation in order to be eligible for FINA competitions. Failure to do so, or
provision of a false certification, will render the athlete ineligible

This is really good news.

The science even uses the correct definitions for female and male. At last sense.

Next legislation...

This just made me celebrate. And then I thought: Isn't it insane that we have come to the point of celebrating common sense?

Well done FINA!

I was going to post a link to this but wasn't surprised that other posters were here even more quickly. I think it is the right decision. I see they are going to investigate a solution often posted here, having an open category.

When you compare the physiques of, for example, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson, it's clear that male swimmers who have gone through puberty are at a clear physical advantage.

YES

Fantastic news. Made my day 😊

Good. And they'll provide an open category for those who have transitioned. That's a win-win isn't it? There'll be an elite open category for Lia et al. So no one is discriminated against. I'm pretty sure there'll be enough companies out there who'll be falling over themselves to sponsor an elite trans athlete who competes in the open category. So lia's career can continue. Fab news all round.

Thank goodness, that’s a relief.